Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox
Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox
Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 25]. nothing is doing harm. 25:32 {All the nations} (panta ta ethn•). Not just Gentiles, but Jews also. Christians and non-Christians. This program for the general judgment has been challenged by some scholars who regard it as a composition by the evangelist to exalt Christ. But why should not Christ say this if he is the Son of Man and the Son of God and realized it? A "reduced" Christ has trouble with all the Gospels, not merely with the Fourth Gospel, and no less with Q and Mark than with Matthew and Luke. This is a majestic picture with which to close the series of parables about readiness for the second coming. Here is the program when he does come. "I am aware that doubt is thrown on this passage by some critics. But the doubt is most wanton. Where is the second brain that could have invented anything so original and so sublime as vv. 35-40,42-45?" (Sanday, _Life of Christ in Recent Research_, p. 128). {As the shepherd separates} (\h•sper ho poim•n aphorizei\). A common figure in Palestine. The sheep are usually white and the goats black. There are kids (\eriph•n, eriphia\) which have grazed together. The goats devastate a field of all herbage. "Indeed they have extirpated many species of trees which once covered the hills" (Tristram, _Natural History of the Bible_, pp. 89f.). The shepherd stands at the gate and taps the sheep to go to the right and the goats to the left. 25:34 {From the foundation of the world} (\apo katabol•s kosmou\). The eternal purpose of the Father for his elect in all the nations. The Son of Man in verse 31 is the King here seated on the throne in judgment. 25:36 {Clothed me} (\periebalete me\). Second aorist middle indicative, cast something around me. {Visited me} (\epeskepsasthe me\). Looked after, came to see. Our "visit" is from Latin _viso, video_. Cf. our English "go to see." 25:40 {Ye did it unto me} (\emoi epoi•sate\). Dative of personal interest. Christ identifies himself with the needy and the suffering. This conduct is proof of possession of love for Christ and likeness to him. 25:42 {No meat} (\ouk ed•kate moi phagein\). You did not give me anything to eat. The repetition of the negative \ou\ in 42 and 43 is like the falling of clods on the coffin or the tomb. It is curious the surprise here shown both by the sheep and the http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MT25.RWP.html (5 of 6) [28/08/2004 09:03:25 a.m.]
Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 25]. goats. Some sheep will think that they are goats and some goats will think that they are sheep. 25:46 {Eternal punishment} (\kolasin ai•nion\). The word \kolasin\ comes from \kolaz•\, to mutilate or prune. Hence those who cling to the larger hope use this phrase to mean age-long pruning that ultimately leads to salvation of the goats, as disciplinary rather than penal. There is such a distinction as Aristotle pointed out between \m•ria\ (vengeance) and \kolasis\. But the same adjective \ai•nios\ is used with \kolasin\ and \z••n\. If by etymology we limit the scope of \kolasin\, we may likewise have only age-long \z••n\. There is not the slightest indication in the words of Jesus here that the punishment is not coeval with the life. We can leave all this to the King himself who is the Judge. The difficulty to one's mind about conditional chastisement is to think how a life of sin in hell can be changed into a life of love and obedience. The word \ai•nios\ (from \ai•n\, age, \aevum, aei\) means either without beginning or without end or both. It comes as near to the idea of eternal as the Greek can put it in one word. It is a difficult idea to put into language. Sometimes we have "ages of ages" (\ai•nes t•n ai•n•n\). [Table of Contents] [Previous] [Next] http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MT25.RWP.html (6 of 6) [28/08/2004 09:03:25 a.m.] Word Pictures in the New Testament (Matthew: Chapter 25)
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<strong>Word</strong> <strong>Pictures</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> NT [Mat<strong>the</strong>w: Chapter 25].<br />
noth<strong>in</strong>g is do<strong>in</strong>g harm.<br />
25:32 {All <strong>the</strong> nations} (panta ta ethn•). Not just Gentiles, but<br />
Jews also. Christians and non-Christians. This program for <strong>the</strong><br />
general judgment has been challenged by some scholars who regard<br />
it as a composition by <strong>the</strong> evangelist to exalt Christ. But why<br />
should not Christ say this if he is <strong>the</strong> Son of Man and <strong>the</strong> Son of<br />
God and realized it? A "reduced" Christ has trouble with all <strong>the</strong><br />
Gospels, not merely with <strong>the</strong> Fourth Gospel, and no less with Q<br />
and Mark than with Mat<strong>the</strong>w and Luke. This is a majestic picture<br />
with which to close <strong>the</strong> series of parables about read<strong>in</strong>ess for<br />
<strong>the</strong> second com<strong>in</strong>g. Here is <strong>the</strong> program when he does come. "I am<br />
aware that doubt is thrown on this passage by some critics. But<br />
<strong>the</strong> doubt is most wanton. Where is <strong>the</strong> second bra<strong>in</strong> that could<br />
have <strong>in</strong>vented anyth<strong>in</strong>g so orig<strong>in</strong>al and so sublime as vv.<br />
35-40,42-45?" (Sanday, _Life of Christ <strong>in</strong> Recent Research_, p.<br />
128). {As <strong>the</strong> shepherd separates} (\h•sper ho poim•n aphorizei\).<br />
A common figure <strong>in</strong> Palest<strong>in</strong>e. The sheep are usually white and <strong>the</strong><br />
goats black. There are kids (\eriph•n, eriphia\) which have<br />
grazed toge<strong>the</strong>r. The goats devastate a field of all herbage.<br />
"Indeed <strong>the</strong>y have extirpated many species of trees which once<br />
covered <strong>the</strong> hills" (Tristram, _Natural History of <strong>the</strong> Bible_, pp.<br />
89f.). The shepherd stands at <strong>the</strong> gate and taps <strong>the</strong> sheep to go<br />
to <strong>the</strong> right and <strong>the</strong> goats to <strong>the</strong> left.<br />
25:34 {From <strong>the</strong> foundation of <strong>the</strong> world} (\apo katabol•s<br />
kosmou\). The eternal purpose of <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r for his elect <strong>in</strong> all<br />
<strong>the</strong> nations. The Son of Man <strong>in</strong> verse 31 is <strong>the</strong> K<strong>in</strong>g here seated<br />
on <strong>the</strong> throne <strong>in</strong> judgment.<br />
25:36 {Clo<strong>the</strong>d me} (\periebalete me\). Second aorist middle<br />
<strong>in</strong>dicative, cast someth<strong>in</strong>g around me. {Visited me}<br />
(\epeskepsas<strong>the</strong> me\). Looked after, came to see. Our "visit" is<br />
from Lat<strong>in</strong> _viso, video_. Cf. our English "go to see."<br />
25:40 {Ye did it unto me} (\emoi epoi•sate\). Dative of personal<br />
<strong>in</strong>terest. Christ identifies himself with <strong>the</strong> needy and <strong>the</strong><br />
suffer<strong>in</strong>g. This conduct is proof of possession of love for Christ<br />
and likeness to him.<br />
25:42 {No meat} (\ouk ed•kate moi phage<strong>in</strong>\). You did not give me<br />
anyth<strong>in</strong>g to eat. The repetition of <strong>the</strong> negative \ou\ <strong>in</strong> 42 and<br />
43 is like <strong>the</strong> fall<strong>in</strong>g of clods on <strong>the</strong> coff<strong>in</strong> or <strong>the</strong> tomb. It<br />
is curious <strong>the</strong> surprise here shown both by <strong>the</strong> sheep and <strong>the</strong><br />
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MT25.RWP.html (5 of 6) [28/08/2004 09:03:25 a.m.]